What do you think?
Rate this book
[The Candidate: A Luxembourg Thriller] [By: Pembrey, Daniel] [May, 2014]
Nick Thorneycroft is a British headhunter working in Luxembourg. His company asks him to recruit a high-flying executive for the company's Russian business. The best candidate turns out to be smart, beautiful... and mysterious. Soon the effects of Russia’s political upheaval, and the arrival of an ex-girlfriend who won’t leave him alone, make Nick’s Luxembourg life increasingly perilous; worlds collide in this gripping, atmospheric tale.
Paperback
First published November 15, 2013
53 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Pembrey
13 books43 followersDaniel Pembrey grew up in Nottinghamshire, England — beside Sherwood Forest. He studied history at Edinburgh University and spent over a decade working in America and more recently Luxembourg, coming to rest in Amsterdam and London — dividing his time now between these two great maritime cities. He is the author of the Henk van der Pol detective series and several short thriller stories, and he contributes articles to publications including The Financial Times and The (London) Times. In order to write The Harbour Master, he spent several months living in the docklands area of East Amsterdam, counting De Druif bar as his local.
To receive occasional email updates and offers of free exclusive content, please sign up at www.danielpembrey.com. Daniel is also on Twitter, @DPemb.
To receive occasional email updates and offers of free exclusive content, please sign up at www.danielpembrey.com. Daniel is also on Twitter, @DPemb.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
November 28, 2013
Londoner, Nick Thorneycroft, a former sports writer, gets a job as a headhunter, or recruiter, thanks to his girlfriend, Claire.
He is stationed in Luxembourg, the snow globe of Europe, and is in the process of doing big business with the Russians. Corporate Russians and the Russian government are involved in high profile negotiations with western companies, but also sending in their strong-armed front men to get what they want for whatever sinister reason.
Circumstances in his company become difficult when weird things start to happen, especially when he wakes up in his apartment without any recollection of what happened to him the previous evening and with evidence lying around that he cannot connect to anyone he knows. Nick is instructed to appoint a young woman, Yekaterina Novakovich, without a proper background check. Soon his life turns into chaos and he becomes paranoid. He doesn't know who to trust anymore while his life and job gets weirder by the minute.
This novella is written in the typical mystery, thriller style with little surprises or new angles. It has a cliffhanger ending. A relaxing, fast read, though, and delivers very well in this genre. Not bad at all.
He is stationed in Luxembourg, the snow globe of Europe, and is in the process of doing big business with the Russians. Corporate Russians and the Russian government are involved in high profile negotiations with western companies, but also sending in their strong-armed front men to get what they want for whatever sinister reason.
Circumstances in his company become difficult when weird things start to happen, especially when he wakes up in his apartment without any recollection of what happened to him the previous evening and with evidence lying around that he cannot connect to anyone he knows. Nick is instructed to appoint a young woman, Yekaterina Novakovich, without a proper background check. Soon his life turns into chaos and he becomes paranoid. He doesn't know who to trust anymore while his life and job gets weirder by the minute.
This novella is written in the typical mystery, thriller style with little surprises or new angles. It has a cliffhanger ending. A relaxing, fast read, though, and delivers very well in this genre. Not bad at all.
February 23, 2014
I received a free Adobe Digital Editions copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, this has not compromised my ability to write an honest and critical review of the book.
30/1 - Opening thoughts? What's with this line on page 7? "I had laughter lines, but no grey hairs - and a full head of them, with stubble to match." Now I'm imagining an excessively wrinkled head, and not just on his forehead, his whole head - like a Shar Pei.
Now, on page 13 we have a fluffy dog called Mischa and she has a 'sharp tongue'. I've owned dogs my whole life and I've yet to come across one with a sharp tongue - they're not even rough (like a cat's), let alone sharp. To be continued...
2/2 - Page 16 (yeah, I know, I haven't read much since my last post, but it's not really grabbing me at the moment) - "Christmas excitement was in the air, kids squealing, melting chocolate wafting from the street vendors." Really? Was melting chocolate actually wafting from the street vendors? Or was it perhaps, more correctly, the smell of melting chocolate wafting from the street vendors. Because otherwise I would expect the next sentence to go something like this "Oh my God! There's melted chocolate floating down the street! We all need to run and hide, Voldemort/God/Satan/Willy Wonka (or any other appropriate chocolate levitating deity you can think of) is coming." but no, the next sentence moves onto your phone ringing. So, I can only assume that you didn't actually mean to say that there was melted chocolate wafting down the street, you (or whoever you hired) just neglected to read this sentence for logic during the editing process, a small slip up with a big effect. To be continued...
Later that evening - "Her contacts for the role would be impeccable, as they like to say here in French." First of all, don't we say impeccable in English too? And secondly, the structure of the second half of that sentence isn't saying what Pembrey thinks it's saying. When I read it, it seems to be saying that the people who like to say impeccable are saying it in a place called French. I assume that what he's trying to say is that the people who like to say impeccable like saying it in the language of France. Personally, I can't see how to fix the sentence to say exactly what he wants it to say, but I also don't see why the "as they like to say here in French." part is actually necessary to the story - it just sounds a bit pretentious (but, maybe that's what Pembrey's going for, the fact that Luxembourgers are pretentious - I don't know one way or the other, not having been to Luxembourg myself). To be continued...
4/2 - I'm don't I believe that if I (or any normal person) woke up with some memory problems after what appears to have been a big night (from comments made by friends who were there, at least for parts of it) and a small rash-like patch on my skin I would immediately jump to the idea of "Oh my God, I've been drugged with memory erasing drugs!" The more logical explanation would be that I had too much to drink, and been bitten by a mosquito a few days earlier. Unless I was Jason Bourne my first thought wouldn't be memory erasing drugs. To be continued...
22/2 - I'm not a fan of soccer - don't know the game, don't know the stars - wish there wasn't so much discussion about soccer. At the start of the next chapter (following page) is the following sentence "Arsenal had lost in the end; in case you were wondering." I really wasn't wondering at all (I doubt any readers, even the soccer fans, were wondering as this is a fictional book and likely that soccer match is also fictional, so it's unnecessary information to the story), in fact I was hoping there would be no further mention of soccer in general. I am vaguely (just enough) interested to find out what's going on with 'the candidate', otherwise I might be giving up soon. To be continued...
A few hours later - Awkward phrases galore! The pinnacle being page 33-34 "More interviews, then the debrief meeting at which we would make our decision...I washed my face with my hands, feeling the raw coldness of it, the weight of tasks ahead of me, and descended the hill in the snow." When I read "I washed my face with my hands" it sent me scanning through the previous paragraph for when he entered the toilets or came across a sink, but no, there's no public toilets just his hands. How do you "wash your face with your hands?" Maybe Pembrey means 'scrubbed his face with his hands'?, but then how's he feeling the "raw coldness of it"? Does that simply mean he rubbed/scrubbed his face with his hands and his hands were cold? That, plus a number of the previous sentences (not counting the ones I've already pointed out) just don't read right. I get what Pembrey is trying to say, but I shouldn't have to mentally translate the story in order for it to make sense. To be continued...
A few minutes and half a page later - Why is Darrel Casablancas screaming everything he says? If he's not why is every sentence of his finished with an exclamation point? Why does the fact that Charlotte is "strolling slowly round her office with her headset on" automatically mean that she must be on "some very important call"? She might be talking to her mother about her father's annoying antics at the family Sunday night dinner the night before. To me, strolling does not impart importance.
Another couple of pages down - I have no idea what this sentence means "Liesl, the receptionist, nodded warmly as I approached: your guest, Nick." Nick has come down to the lobby to meet the candidate for the position they're trying to fill, she's facing away from him, and then there's that nonsensical sentence. Those last three words, just make no sense to me at all. Oh wait, maybe this is a punctuation issue? Maybe it's meant to be "Liesl, the receptionist, nodded warmly as I approached "Your guest, Nick."" That makes more sense, but compounds the problems plaguing this book. To be continued...
Page 41 - "He had a full head of back hair (surely dyed), a craggy face and larger than life presence, always." A 'full head of back hair'? Now that's an interesting image - sparse curly hair like my dad's or (even funnier) like some men who have an animal-like pelt of back hair that could be harvested for a rug? What's with this author and strange hair-related images? Unfortunately, I don't know the correct term for this but I'm pretty sure that when you have a pair of commas, like in the above sentence, the first section (before the first comma) should be able to be read coherently with only the last section (after the second comma). For example the following sentence: I've read so many books, not all of them good, that I should be able to write one of my own. You can remove the middle section of the sentence, between the two commas and the sentence still makes perfect sense (an example, not a statement of truth or intent). Not so much with Pembrey's sentence, if you removed the middle section of the sentence it would go like this: He has a full head of back hair (surely dyed) always. Nope, not a lick of sense there. I also have problems with the assumption that a man in his late forties with black (I assume that's what author was actually aiming for) hair must have dyed it. My father is in his late 50s (yes, a whole decade older) and has managed to make it this far without dying it or having to admit to finding his first grey hair. To be continued (for how much longer depends on the continuing problems)...
Bottom of the same page - "...Mike closed the door behind him and this time, I didn't fetch Kate a drink." That seems to be jumping the gun a bit. As far as Nick (or the reader) actually knows, he and Kate have never met before and she certainly didn't drug him and ransack his apartment a couple of nights ago. There has been no discovery, no 'aha moment', so why does Pembrey say "...and this time, I didn't fetch Kate a drink."? This mistake feels like the author knows what's going to happen (that Kate did have something to do with drugging Nick, no matter how illogical that seems) but forgot that the reader doesn't know yet - he's telegraphing future moves in the plot in the worst way. To be continued...
A couple more pages - Why would you describe LinkedIn as an "airless world"? It's an online community, of course it's airless. I'm doing my best here, plugging along, but not really getting anywhere. I feel absolutely nothing for Nick and the two female characters just feel like sets of characteristics that are the norm to make up their chosen characters. Yekaterina is a femme fatale (Nick even says so) so she must be stunningly beautiful, wear form fitting yet professional clothes, be European (specifically Russian), be blonde and be handy with the man-drugging drugs - yep, Kate (as she quickly becomes) is all of that, so therefore she ticks all the boxes for femme fatale. Charlotte is an exact cut-out of a ball-busting female boss - she dresses a bit too sexily for the office (leaving the men with nothing to do but stare at all the artfully exposed skin), is hard on her underlings (particularly the men), and works all hours (puts those men to shame). I was going to try for 50%, but I really want to get back to Isabel Allende. I'm sorry Mr Pembrey, but I'm going to have to DNF The Candidate at page 44, not only is the story not for me, but the lack of editing is also not for me. Good luck with anything you write in the future.
30/1 - Opening thoughts? What's with this line on page 7? "I had laughter lines, but no grey hairs - and a full head of them, with stubble to match." Now I'm imagining an excessively wrinkled head, and not just on his forehead, his whole head - like a Shar Pei.
Now, on page 13 we have a fluffy dog called Mischa and she has a 'sharp tongue'. I've owned dogs my whole life and I've yet to come across one with a sharp tongue - they're not even rough (like a cat's), let alone sharp. To be continued...
2/2 - Page 16 (yeah, I know, I haven't read much since my last post, but it's not really grabbing me at the moment) - "Christmas excitement was in the air, kids squealing, melting chocolate wafting from the street vendors." Really? Was melting chocolate actually wafting from the street vendors? Or was it perhaps, more correctly, the smell of melting chocolate wafting from the street vendors. Because otherwise I would expect the next sentence to go something like this "Oh my God! There's melted chocolate floating down the street! We all need to run and hide, Voldemort/God/Satan/Willy Wonka (or any other appropriate chocolate levitating deity you can think of) is coming." but no, the next sentence moves onto your phone ringing. So, I can only assume that you didn't actually mean to say that there was melted chocolate wafting down the street, you (or whoever you hired) just neglected to read this sentence for logic during the editing process, a small slip up with a big effect. To be continued...
Later that evening - "Her contacts for the role would be impeccable, as they like to say here in French." First of all, don't we say impeccable in English too? And secondly, the structure of the second half of that sentence isn't saying what Pembrey thinks it's saying. When I read it, it seems to be saying that the people who like to say impeccable are saying it in a place called French. I assume that what he's trying to say is that the people who like to say impeccable like saying it in the language of France. Personally, I can't see how to fix the sentence to say exactly what he wants it to say, but I also don't see why the "as they like to say here in French." part is actually necessary to the story - it just sounds a bit pretentious (but, maybe that's what Pembrey's going for, the fact that Luxembourgers are pretentious - I don't know one way or the other, not having been to Luxembourg myself). To be continued...
4/2 - I'm don't I believe that if I (or any normal person) woke up with some memory problems after what appears to have been a big night (from comments made by friends who were there, at least for parts of it) and a small rash-like patch on my skin I would immediately jump to the idea of "Oh my God, I've been drugged with memory erasing drugs!" The more logical explanation would be that I had too much to drink, and been bitten by a mosquito a few days earlier. Unless I was Jason Bourne my first thought wouldn't be memory erasing drugs. To be continued...
22/2 - I'm not a fan of soccer - don't know the game, don't know the stars - wish there wasn't so much discussion about soccer. At the start of the next chapter (following page) is the following sentence "Arsenal had lost in the end; in case you were wondering." I really wasn't wondering at all (I doubt any readers, even the soccer fans, were wondering as this is a fictional book and likely that soccer match is also fictional, so it's unnecessary information to the story), in fact I was hoping there would be no further mention of soccer in general. I am vaguely (just enough) interested to find out what's going on with 'the candidate', otherwise I might be giving up soon. To be continued...
A few hours later - Awkward phrases galore! The pinnacle being page 33-34 "More interviews, then the debrief meeting at which we would make our decision...I washed my face with my hands, feeling the raw coldness of it, the weight of tasks ahead of me, and descended the hill in the snow." When I read "I washed my face with my hands" it sent me scanning through the previous paragraph for when he entered the toilets or came across a sink, but no, there's no public toilets just his hands. How do you "wash your face with your hands?" Maybe Pembrey means 'scrubbed his face with his hands'?, but then how's he feeling the "raw coldness of it"? Does that simply mean he rubbed/scrubbed his face with his hands and his hands were cold? That, plus a number of the previous sentences (not counting the ones I've already pointed out) just don't read right. I get what Pembrey is trying to say, but I shouldn't have to mentally translate the story in order for it to make sense. To be continued...
A few minutes and half a page later - Why is Darrel Casablancas screaming everything he says? If he's not why is every sentence of his finished with an exclamation point? Why does the fact that Charlotte is "strolling slowly round her office with her headset on" automatically mean that she must be on "some very important call"? She might be talking to her mother about her father's annoying antics at the family Sunday night dinner the night before. To me, strolling does not impart importance.
Another couple of pages down - I have no idea what this sentence means "Liesl, the receptionist, nodded warmly as I approached: your guest, Nick." Nick has come down to the lobby to meet the candidate for the position they're trying to fill, she's facing away from him, and then there's that nonsensical sentence. Those last three words, just make no sense to me at all. Oh wait, maybe this is a punctuation issue? Maybe it's meant to be "Liesl, the receptionist, nodded warmly as I approached "Your guest, Nick."" That makes more sense, but compounds the problems plaguing this book. To be continued...
Page 41 - "He had a full head of back hair (surely dyed), a craggy face and larger than life presence, always." A 'full head of back hair'? Now that's an interesting image - sparse curly hair like my dad's or (even funnier) like some men who have an animal-like pelt of back hair that could be harvested for a rug? What's with this author and strange hair-related images? Unfortunately, I don't know the correct term for this but I'm pretty sure that when you have a pair of commas, like in the above sentence, the first section (before the first comma) should be able to be read coherently with only the last section (after the second comma). For example the following sentence: I've read so many books, not all of them good, that I should be able to write one of my own. You can remove the middle section of the sentence, between the two commas and the sentence still makes perfect sense (an example, not a statement of truth or intent). Not so much with Pembrey's sentence, if you removed the middle section of the sentence it would go like this: He has a full head of back hair (surely dyed) always. Nope, not a lick of sense there. I also have problems with the assumption that a man in his late forties with black (I assume that's what author was actually aiming for) hair must have dyed it. My father is in his late 50s (yes, a whole decade older) and has managed to make it this far without dying it or having to admit to finding his first grey hair. To be continued (for how much longer depends on the continuing problems)...
Bottom of the same page - "...Mike closed the door behind him and this time, I didn't fetch Kate a drink." That seems to be jumping the gun a bit. As far as Nick (or the reader) actually knows, he and Kate have never met before and she certainly didn't drug him and ransack his apartment a couple of nights ago. There has been no discovery, no 'aha moment', so why does Pembrey say "...and this time, I didn't fetch Kate a drink."? This mistake feels like the author knows what's going to happen (that Kate did have something to do with drugging Nick, no matter how illogical that seems) but forgot that the reader doesn't know yet - he's telegraphing future moves in the plot in the worst way. To be continued...
A couple more pages - Why would you describe LinkedIn as an "airless world"? It's an online community, of course it's airless. I'm doing my best here, plugging along, but not really getting anywhere. I feel absolutely nothing for Nick and the two female characters just feel like sets of characteristics that are the norm to make up their chosen characters. Yekaterina is a femme fatale (Nick even says so) so she must be stunningly beautiful, wear form fitting yet professional clothes, be European (specifically Russian), be blonde and be handy with the man-drugging drugs - yep, Kate (as she quickly becomes) is all of that, so therefore she ticks all the boxes for femme fatale. Charlotte is an exact cut-out of a ball-busting female boss - she dresses a bit too sexily for the office (leaving the men with nothing to do but stare at all the artfully exposed skin), is hard on her underlings (particularly the men), and works all hours (puts those men to shame). I was going to try for 50%, but I really want to get back to Isabel Allende. I'm sorry Mr Pembrey, but I'm going to have to DNF The Candidate at page 44, not only is the story not for me, but the lack of editing is also not for me. Good luck with anything you write in the future.
November 30, 2013
The Candidate by Daniel Pembrey is a Kindle Single released in 2013. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nick Thorneycroft wakes up one morning with a massive hangover and finds a pair women's panties in his apartment. He has no memory of what he did the night before or with whom.
Going into work, he is tagged as the person to help snag an up and comer to become the VP of the company, which may be on the verge of a merger.
Kate Novakavich is stunning. Nick feels some sort of connection to her as he parades her around from interview to interview.
Meanwhile, Nick deals with his girlfriend/ex-girlfriend calling him and texting him in panicked demeanor that leaves him with a sense of dread.
Set in Luxembourg, the political climate in Russia, with election campaigns going on, sets the backdrop of this tense thriller involving spies, double crosses, politics, and a little corporate wrangling.
Nick gets sucked into the vortex unwittingly and gets the shock of his life as a result because no one can be trusted.
The story is atmospheric, leaving a chill in our bones thinking of the climate. The landlords are odd, Nick friend and co-workers all behave paranoid and on edge. The "Candidate" is also rather aloof and never seems to answer a question directly.
Novellas and short stories can be tricky to pull off. Sometimes it works out great and sometimes not so much.
This one falls in between. I was engaged and the story really held my attention, but then it just stopped. We don't know what takes place after it finally clicks in Nick's brain what has actually happened.
So, we know the set up , we know the players, we know the motives, but we don't get to find out what the total outcome will be after all is said and done.
It could be a good idea for the author to pick this story up at some point and make it into a series of Kindle series, or use this one as a prelude to a full length novel.
The writing was fine. I just wish the story had been a little longer without the sudden stop at the end.
Overall a C+
Nick Thorneycroft wakes up one morning with a massive hangover and finds a pair women's panties in his apartment. He has no memory of what he did the night before or with whom.
Going into work, he is tagged as the person to help snag an up and comer to become the VP of the company, which may be on the verge of a merger.
Kate Novakavich is stunning. Nick feels some sort of connection to her as he parades her around from interview to interview.
Meanwhile, Nick deals with his girlfriend/ex-girlfriend calling him and texting him in panicked demeanor that leaves him with a sense of dread.
Set in Luxembourg, the political climate in Russia, with election campaigns going on, sets the backdrop of this tense thriller involving spies, double crosses, politics, and a little corporate wrangling.
Nick gets sucked into the vortex unwittingly and gets the shock of his life as a result because no one can be trusted.
The story is atmospheric, leaving a chill in our bones thinking of the climate. The landlords are odd, Nick friend and co-workers all behave paranoid and on edge. The "Candidate" is also rather aloof and never seems to answer a question directly.
Novellas and short stories can be tricky to pull off. Sometimes it works out great and sometimes not so much.
This one falls in between. I was engaged and the story really held my attention, but then it just stopped. We don't know what takes place after it finally clicks in Nick's brain what has actually happened.
So, we know the set up , we know the players, we know the motives, but we don't get to find out what the total outcome will be after all is said and done.
It could be a good idea for the author to pick this story up at some point and make it into a series of Kindle series, or use this one as a prelude to a full length novel.
The writing was fine. I just wish the story had been a little longer without the sudden stop at the end.
Overall a C+
December 27, 2016
This is a very short, fast thriller set among a community of expats working in finance in Luxembourg. The intriguing start sees head-hunter Nick wake up the worse for wear after a night out, with a chunk of his memory missing.
It seems he spent the night with a mysterious woman he met in a nightclub, but why can't he remember what happened? Where is she now - and what's the connection with the mysterious Russian candidate he is being urged to fast-track into a position at his company?
I found this an enjoyable read (well worth the 99p purchase price on Kindle!), finishing it at a sitting, but it was ultimately a bit unsatisfying because it is so short. This means the characters aren't developed fully and the later stages of the story seem rather rushed. I would also have liked more about life in Luxembourg. I'd like to read more by this author, though, and will look out for his series of novels set in Amsterdam.
It seems he spent the night with a mysterious woman he met in a nightclub, but why can't he remember what happened? Where is she now - and what's the connection with the mysterious Russian candidate he is being urged to fast-track into a position at his company?
I found this an enjoyable read (well worth the 99p purchase price on Kindle!), finishing it at a sitting, but it was ultimately a bit unsatisfying because it is so short. This means the characters aren't developed fully and the later stages of the story seem rather rushed. I would also have liked more about life in Luxembourg. I'd like to read more by this author, though, and will look out for his series of novels set in Amsterdam.
November 23, 2013
Before I review this thrilling novella, I want to say a few words about my love for Kindle Singles. Kindle Singles are short essays or fictional works usually between 30 to 100 pages. They are available from Amazon and usually run between 1 and 2 dollars. I find them to be a perfect brief read between longer novels and a bargain at the price. The basic concept of Kindle Singles is a winner as they present well known authors and often introduce lesser known ones, allowing a cheap way to explore new writers. If you have not checked out these nifty short reads, do so very soon.
In regards to The Candidate: Luxembourg Thriller by Daniel Pembrey, it is a bit longer than the usual Kindle Single at slightly over 100 pages.It is also a very good poli-corporate espionage novel. Corporate headhunter Nick Thorneycroft is working in Luxembourg attempting to lure a Russian executive to his company for the purpose of expanding their business in Russia. When he meets the woman he has a nagging suspicion that he knows her, which might be related to the fact that he woke up alone in bed that morning accompanied by a pair of women's panties with no visible owner in sight. Not to mention that he was obviously drugged and have no memories of what occurred the night before.
At this point, I would be yelling, "Get another job, moron!". Fortunately for the writer and for the reader, he does no such thing. Pembrey has a intelligent and subtle style that moves us along quietly in the development of the mystery. It is to his credit that this novella has a very realistic scenario and easily passes my eye-rolling test. If I roll my eyes over the plot devices more than 3 times, I deem the plot a mess. I was so involved and convinced I didn't roll my eyes once. I could see this sort of thing happening easily...which is why I am not working in an international corporation.
What "this sort of thing" is will not be spoiled. Let's just say that if you enjoyed suspense thrillers with corporate hi-jinks laced with a good dose of paranoia, you will enjoy this novella. Daniel Pembrey is a new name for me and that only emphasizes why I think Kindle Singles are so helpful. I will definitely be checking out Pembrey's other books.
I received a review copy of The Candidate from the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. However I would have easily paid the 99 cents for this exciting read.
In regards to The Candidate: Luxembourg Thriller by Daniel Pembrey, it is a bit longer than the usual Kindle Single at slightly over 100 pages.It is also a very good poli-corporate espionage novel. Corporate headhunter Nick Thorneycroft is working in Luxembourg attempting to lure a Russian executive to his company for the purpose of expanding their business in Russia. When he meets the woman he has a nagging suspicion that he knows her, which might be related to the fact that he woke up alone in bed that morning accompanied by a pair of women's panties with no visible owner in sight. Not to mention that he was obviously drugged and have no memories of what occurred the night before.
At this point, I would be yelling, "Get another job, moron!". Fortunately for the writer and for the reader, he does no such thing. Pembrey has a intelligent and subtle style that moves us along quietly in the development of the mystery. It is to his credit that this novella has a very realistic scenario and easily passes my eye-rolling test. If I roll my eyes over the plot devices more than 3 times, I deem the plot a mess. I was so involved and convinced I didn't roll my eyes once. I could see this sort of thing happening easily...which is why I am not working in an international corporation.
What "this sort of thing" is will not be spoiled. Let's just say that if you enjoyed suspense thrillers with corporate hi-jinks laced with a good dose of paranoia, you will enjoy this novella. Daniel Pembrey is a new name for me and that only emphasizes why I think Kindle Singles are so helpful. I will definitely be checking out Pembrey's other books.
I received a review copy of The Candidate from the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. However I would have easily paid the 99 cents for this exciting read.
June 14, 2019
When I looked back at her, there she was, on the rail of the parapet – swaying. ‘No!’ I yelled. She was gone again.
October 30, 2015
Nicholas Thorneycroft wakes up in Luxembourg unable to remember the previous night and his female company. This intelligent thriller novella catches our attention from the start.
Nicholas manages to find his landlady's little dog huddled on the apartment building's roof, but cannot find his own office key card. As he occasionally handles sensitive documents, he'd rather not lose it. He begins to suspect that he was drugged.
Luxembourg handles high finance and European projects from its French-speaking low tax base. The location is thoroughly described, from the one English pub to the icy roads on the hill leading down to the Petrusse River and the floodlit castle. Nick is a rounded character who started as a sports writer and now headhunts for a major firm. He's been asked to hire a female Russian banker at several times his own salary. Nick reckons that this glamorous candidate Yekaterina may be the woman who came home with him, while a Russian firm Xanant is considering buying out his own firm. He decides that background research is needed.
Nick's past girlfriend turns up when he's preoccupied; she seems emotionally unstable, and that's before thugs smash down his apartment door. The characters just keep coming, sharply written and believable, as even Nick's own bosses would rather the prospect of bonuses than take their recent hire's word for it that something sinister is in progress. Banking, the author shows us, is multinational, occasionally corrupt and corrupting.
Daniel Pembrey is writing about places and jobs where he has worked, just as he did in 'The Woman Who Stopped Traffic', which is set in California. With his flair for realism and insider knowledge he doesn't just push the door open, he throws it wide to reveal the good, the bad and the dangerous.
I've added a star for the paperback version, which has a final chapter after the end of the Kindle one (which I originally read) that balances the book better.
Nicholas manages to find his landlady's little dog huddled on the apartment building's roof, but cannot find his own office key card. As he occasionally handles sensitive documents, he'd rather not lose it. He begins to suspect that he was drugged.
Luxembourg handles high finance and European projects from its French-speaking low tax base. The location is thoroughly described, from the one English pub to the icy roads on the hill leading down to the Petrusse River and the floodlit castle. Nick is a rounded character who started as a sports writer and now headhunts for a major firm. He's been asked to hire a female Russian banker at several times his own salary. Nick reckons that this glamorous candidate Yekaterina may be the woman who came home with him, while a Russian firm Xanant is considering buying out his own firm. He decides that background research is needed.
Nick's past girlfriend turns up when he's preoccupied; she seems emotionally unstable, and that's before thugs smash down his apartment door. The characters just keep coming, sharply written and believable, as even Nick's own bosses would rather the prospect of bonuses than take their recent hire's word for it that something sinister is in progress. Banking, the author shows us, is multinational, occasionally corrupt and corrupting.
Daniel Pembrey is writing about places and jobs where he has worked, just as he did in 'The Woman Who Stopped Traffic', which is set in California. With his flair for realism and insider knowledge he doesn't just push the door open, he throws it wide to reveal the good, the bad and the dangerous.
I've added a star for the paperback version, which has a final chapter after the end of the Kindle one (which I originally read) that balances the book better.
May 10, 2015
There is a change of country from The Harbour Master which I read earlier this year with The Candidate being set in Luxembourg. There is also a change of style, although thankfully not substance, as this book is not a police procedural, it is a fast paced thriller set in the world of corporate business.
The book opens with Nick Thorneycroft finding a pair of ladies underwear on his floor, the only problem is he has no memory of what happened the night before and no idea who they belong to. At the office things are heating up, Nick is a head-hunter and the woman the company want to acquire is Kate Novakavich a Russian executive, as beautiful as she is smart. Nick feels he knows her from somewhere but is unable to place where. So the mystery is set and coupled with some very suspicious colleagues and odd landlords the tension soon mounts to fever pitch.
Anyone who has worked in an office will find the setting familiar as the internal politics don’t vary much no matter which country it happens to be set in. With whispers about a take-over being exchanged at smoker’s corner and in bars after work everyone is on edge. Nick however is trying to find out more about Kate, he has suspicions about what she is up to and has become more than a little obsessed. He’s also struggling with an on/off relationship with his girlfriend Claire.
As you can see this book might be short at roughly 140 pages but it packs an awful lot in, all of it exciting and Daniel Pembrey manages to keep the various strands separate enough that it doesn’t fall into confusion. The ending is perfect for a novella with the reader able to fill in the ‘what happens next’ for themselves.
All of this makes for a very accomplished novella that is full of action without being too macho.
I’d like to thank the author Daniel Pembrey for sending me a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
The book opens with Nick Thorneycroft finding a pair of ladies underwear on his floor, the only problem is he has no memory of what happened the night before and no idea who they belong to. At the office things are heating up, Nick is a head-hunter and the woman the company want to acquire is Kate Novakavich a Russian executive, as beautiful as she is smart. Nick feels he knows her from somewhere but is unable to place where. So the mystery is set and coupled with some very suspicious colleagues and odd landlords the tension soon mounts to fever pitch.
Anyone who has worked in an office will find the setting familiar as the internal politics don’t vary much no matter which country it happens to be set in. With whispers about a take-over being exchanged at smoker’s corner and in bars after work everyone is on edge. Nick however is trying to find out more about Kate, he has suspicions about what she is up to and has become more than a little obsessed. He’s also struggling with an on/off relationship with his girlfriend Claire.
As you can see this book might be short at roughly 140 pages but it packs an awful lot in, all of it exciting and Daniel Pembrey manages to keep the various strands separate enough that it doesn’t fall into confusion. The ending is perfect for a novella with the reader able to fill in the ‘what happens next’ for themselves.
All of this makes for a very accomplished novella that is full of action without being too macho.
I’d like to thank the author Daniel Pembrey for sending me a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
November 21, 2013
With all the qualities a good adult mystery-thriller needs, The Candidate: Luxembourg Thriller by Daniel Pembrey proves that it doesn't take a lot of pages to make a lot of story! When a corporate head hunter finds a candidate that is almost too good to be true, he also finds himself thrown headlong directly into the path of danger and espionage. Who is this mysterious candidate and why are people after her? What does the political upheaval in Russia have to do with it?
Daniel Pembrey provides grit, heat and intrigue with a European flare with this well-written tale of intrigue. He writes with a crisp attitude as he keeps the tension high while slowing unraveling each twist with perfect timing.
Like Mysteries, but you really don't have hours to spare lost in good reading? The Candidate: Luxembourg Thriller is a good choice for a quick thriller.
I received an ARC edition from Daniel Pembrey in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: November 19, 2013
Publisher: Daniel Pembrey
ISBN: 9781493753321
Genre: Mystery thriller-adult
Page Count: 102
Available from: Amazon
Daniel Pembrey provides grit, heat and intrigue with a European flare with this well-written tale of intrigue. He writes with a crisp attitude as he keeps the tension high while slowing unraveling each twist with perfect timing.
Like Mysteries, but you really don't have hours to spare lost in good reading? The Candidate: Luxembourg Thriller is a good choice for a quick thriller.
I received an ARC edition from Daniel Pembrey in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: November 19, 2013
Publisher: Daniel Pembrey
ISBN: 9781493753321
Genre: Mystery thriller-adult
Page Count: 102
Available from: Amazon
April 3, 2014
I don't usually read and review books that are not widely available, but the synopsis for The Candidate by Daniel Pembrey sounded interesting. I admit, when I decided to read and review it, I did not realize that it was only available in digital format, and then only from Amazon. Regardless of that, if you are a fan of the techno-thriller or stories about corporate espionage, or just espionage in general, it is worth checking out.
Nick Thorneycroft is a headhunter for a tech company who has asked him to recruit a new employee to be a top executive for the Russian arm of their business. The candidate that he selects is a beautiful woman who appears to have all of the right qualifications. But are things really what they seem to be? In The Candidate Daniel Pembrey crafts a fast paced story with interesting characters and some good twists and turns. I really got involved in the story quickly, and remained engaged until the end. I also enjoyed the fact that the main character for the story was a headhunter for a multi-national company, which I thought was a fresh idea that I hadn't run across in other books. The biggest problem with the story, and the reason for the 3 stars, was the lack of depth. Mostly this was due to the fact that this is a novella, which do not lend themselves to complex plot or character development. I thought, though, that this story would have stood up to, and even benefited from, more development of both the plot and the characters. I wished it was a full length novel and not a novella, and would love to see this author write something that was more complex.
Thanks to Daniel and Amazon Publishing for making a copy of this story available through Netgalley in exchange for my review.
Nick Thorneycroft is a headhunter for a tech company who has asked him to recruit a new employee to be a top executive for the Russian arm of their business. The candidate that he selects is a beautiful woman who appears to have all of the right qualifications. But are things really what they seem to be? In The Candidate Daniel Pembrey crafts a fast paced story with interesting characters and some good twists and turns. I really got involved in the story quickly, and remained engaged until the end. I also enjoyed the fact that the main character for the story was a headhunter for a multi-national company, which I thought was a fresh idea that I hadn't run across in other books. The biggest problem with the story, and the reason for the 3 stars, was the lack of depth. Mostly this was due to the fact that this is a novella, which do not lend themselves to complex plot or character development. I thought, though, that this story would have stood up to, and even benefited from, more development of both the plot and the characters. I wished it was a full length novel and not a novella, and would love to see this author write something that was more complex.
Thanks to Daniel and Amazon Publishing for making a copy of this story available through Netgalley in exchange for my review.
February 5, 2017
I received this book from TripFiction to review. The book is written from the point of view of an expat, Nick Thorneycroft, living and working in Luxembourg. One morning he finds a woman's underwear on the floor of his apartment as well as a suspicious mark on his neck. Having no memory whatsoever of the previous night, he embarks on a journey to solve this mystery. Unfortunately, I found the journey long and tedious. The title is taken from the fact that Nick is working as a headhunter for a prominent computer firm, and he is trying to recruit a Russian candidate before a rival Russian Company can offer her a position. The book then very slowly reveals a deeper (non-grabbing) plot of Russian spies and scapegoats. A few Luxembourg landmarks get mentioned fleetingly, but are not enough to entice me to go and visit.
April 22, 2015
The "Snow Globe" of Europe : Luxembourg
This novella is a perfect candidate (no pun intended) for what might be called a #lunchtimethriller. It is fast and pacey and can be read over a lunchtime period.
Nick Thorneycroft is a headhunter working in Luxembourg. He has been shoe-horned into his position by his girlfriend Claire, who, now that he is living in the city full of ‘monuments to money’, she is blowing hot and cold. Irksome, because they have technically ended their relationship.
He is tasked to tie down a Russian woman to work on the company’s Eastern European and Russian ties but he soon discovers that there is a bigger picture, that extends way beyond the confines of little Luxembourg.
The book opens one Sunday morning with Nick appraising his apartment and finding a pair of women’s knickers on the floor, a mark on his neck that isn’t quite a love bite and a depleted memory of the night before. Where is the line between reality and his growing paranoia?
It is a well written piece where the Luxembourg setting is strong.
This novella is a perfect candidate (no pun intended) for what might be called a #lunchtimethriller. It is fast and pacey and can be read over a lunchtime period.
Nick Thorneycroft is a headhunter working in Luxembourg. He has been shoe-horned into his position by his girlfriend Claire, who, now that he is living in the city full of ‘monuments to money’, she is blowing hot and cold. Irksome, because they have technically ended their relationship.
He is tasked to tie down a Russian woman to work on the company’s Eastern European and Russian ties but he soon discovers that there is a bigger picture, that extends way beyond the confines of little Luxembourg.
The book opens one Sunday morning with Nick appraising his apartment and finding a pair of women’s knickers on the floor, a mark on his neck that isn’t quite a love bite and a depleted memory of the night before. Where is the line between reality and his growing paranoia?
It is a well written piece where the Luxembourg setting is strong.
December 1, 2013
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very interesting, but short read! The protagonist is a head hunter for a financial corporation. Along comes a candidate from Russia, a beautiful, mysterious woman. When she arrives in town, he ends up drugged, not remembering anything. He wonders if if was his candidate... Strange things start happening and his candidate is being pushed through without any background checks!
The pace is fast, definitely not boring! It kept me wondering, all the way! Not predictable at all! Pick this one up for a few hours of non-stop thrills! Recommended!
This was a very interesting, but short read! The protagonist is a head hunter for a financial corporation. Along comes a candidate from Russia, a beautiful, mysterious woman. When she arrives in town, he ends up drugged, not remembering anything. He wonders if if was his candidate... Strange things start happening and his candidate is being pushed through without any background checks!
The pace is fast, definitely not boring! It kept me wondering, all the way! Not predictable at all! Pick this one up for a few hours of non-stop thrills! Recommended!
November 26, 2013
This was a fast paced, thrilling read. It was a little confusing since I never really understood exactly what the company did. I loved how lost the main character was throughout, especially at the end when he finally finds out the truth, along with the reader. I was a little disappointed with the ending. It felt so abrupt, I wanted to know how Nick dealt with this truth.
This also felt like a very real life, pulled from the headlines kind of thriller. I enjoyed the realism.
This also felt like a very real life, pulled from the headlines kind of thriller. I enjoyed the realism.
December 27, 2013
I really wanted to like this book, especially considering I used to work in recruiting. However, I could not get into this at all, I didn't relate to any of the characters or sympathize with the narrator. The plot seemed intriguing but I found it extremely hard to follow and found myself skimming just to finish as I neared the end.
December 4, 2013
This would have been 2 1/2 stars based on the story but the author's writing style was good. I'm not sure if it was the fact that this was a short story but it was disjointed and a lot of the plot points didn't make sense or seemed implausible.
November 30, 2013
I only made it to 42%. Nothing really happened. I am too bored to go on.
Read
August 9, 2022Quote
He’d treated me as one of the guys ever since I’d explained the rules of rugby to him in a crowded bar in tow one night, drawing parallels with American football.
My Review
A simply written novella, a super short book that is full of little mistakes, and odd little sentences like “LinkedIn as an “airless world” which was a little amusing to say the least, but overall I enjoyed this seemingly pointless book and a bit of a dippy main character, who after a night out cannot remember much at all.
This is quite fast paced, well, I suppose it needs to be as it is only a little over 100 pages long.
It was nice to wander around the streets of Luxembourg a little with the characters.
This was fast enough to keep me engaged and short enough to not make it totally boring.
The beginning is slower but picks up quickly and turns into a faster paced novel with some interesting moments, but nothing special or different. There is a little espionage in the novel, but nothing deep. This is a great but simply written little book that could easily be read in a couple of hours or less.
I am giving this book 3 stars.
The next country we are visiting in my challenge of reading one book from each country is Palau.
He’d treated me as one of the guys ever since I’d explained the rules of rugby to him in a crowded bar in tow one night, drawing parallels with American football.
My Review
A simply written novella, a super short book that is full of little mistakes, and odd little sentences like “LinkedIn as an “airless world” which was a little amusing to say the least, but overall I enjoyed this seemingly pointless book and a bit of a dippy main character, who after a night out cannot remember much at all.
This is quite fast paced, well, I suppose it needs to be as it is only a little over 100 pages long.
It was nice to wander around the streets of Luxembourg a little with the characters.
This was fast enough to keep me engaged and short enough to not make it totally boring.
The beginning is slower but picks up quickly and turns into a faster paced novel with some interesting moments, but nothing special or different. There is a little espionage in the novel, but nothing deep. This is a great but simply written little book that could easily be read in a couple of hours or less.
I am giving this book 3 stars.
The next country we are visiting in my challenge of reading one book from each country is Palau.
March 6, 2018
Daniel Pembrey does it again! Excellent local colour, utterly credible villainous apparatchiks, tyrants stashing their ill-gottens abroad, oligarchs trying to buy respectability and bo-ooring headhunters... several of whom we might well have met.
Power to your pen.
Power to your pen.
April 12, 2020
This novella is a fast-paced thriller that is a quick, entertaining read. I really enjoyed the unique Luxembourg setting which is the main reasons I purchased this book. I ended up really liking the novel and the surprising twist.
July 27, 2020
Set in Luxembourg, by a Luxembourg author, the story brought back memories of streets I have explored. A quick read, with plenty of action and a mystery not entirely explained - but a good shape to the story.
February 2, 2021
“Going to the streets around the train station always felt like stepping behind the stage set of Luxembourg life...” Note perfect description of der Stad! Short, punchy thriller my first time reading this author won’t be my last.
May 28, 2017
Not fully developed
I read this as a free kindle download on the flight home from vacation. Needed more character and plot development, as it was difficult to follow and choppy.
I read this as a free kindle download on the flight home from vacation. Needed more character and plot development, as it was difficult to follow and choppy.
June 19, 2017
Interesting read but seemed to drag at times.
January 12, 2021
Interesting. Makes me want to read more by this author.
August 24, 2021
Simple title and had to be found via Author!
Rediculous!
Rediculous!
September 10, 2016
(Sigue leyendo para encontrar la reseña en español)
I was intrigued at the beginning because it quickly becomes clear that something mysterious and probably dangerous is going on. The main character wakes up with no recollection of what happened the night before and we soon find out that he’s been drugged, but that nothing has been stolen.
One thing that I didn't like so much is how slow the story progresses at first. For being only slightly over 100 pages, very few things happen in the first eighty. After that, things get interesting much faster, maybe even a little too fast. I think that the book could have been much better if it had been longer, because the slow part at the beginning is only slow compared to the size of the book, but would work very well as the first part of a longer novel. It helps to build up the mystery and the depth of the espionage plot, so it's not something that you could leave out or shorten without leaving such an important part of a spy story too rushed.
This is a story that has a non-professional character (meaning not a spy, police agent etc), Nick Thorneycroft, getting involved in espionage stuff. I found him to be a little strange sometimes though. When he learns that there’s a high possibility that he's been drugged, he never considers that he could be in danger until he realises that someone is watching him.
In general, a well-written political thriller with some surprising plot twists, but a bit too short and complex for the plot to be developed nicely. The ending is a bit of a cliff-hanger that works well as an open ending, but I'd love to read a sequel if there's ever one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Me intrigó el principio porque muy pronto queda claro que está pasando algo misterioso y probablemente peligroso. El personaje principal se despierta sin saber qué pasó la noche anterior y muy pronto descubrimos que ha sido drogado, pero que no le han robado nada.
Algo que no me gustó tanto es que la historia progresa algo lentamente al principio. Para tener sólo algo más de cien páginas, ocurren muy pocas cosas en las primeras ochenta. Después, las cosas se ponen más interesantes mucho más rápidamente, incluso puede que demasiado deprisa. Creo que el libro podría haber sido mucho mejor si hubiera sido más largo, porque la parte lenta del principio sólo es lenta comparada con el tamaño del libro, pero podría funcionar muy bien como la primera parte de una novela más larga. Ayuda a desarrollar el misterio y la profundidad del espionaje, así que no es algo que se pueda eliminar o reducir sin dejar una parte tan importante de una novela de espías demasiado acelerada.
En general es un buen thriller político con algún giro inesperado, pero un poco corta y compleja para que el argumento se pueda desarrollar bien. El final queda en suspense, pero funciona como final abierto, aunque me gustaría leer una secuela si alguna vez hay alguna.
I was intrigued at the beginning because it quickly becomes clear that something mysterious and probably dangerous is going on. The main character wakes up with no recollection of what happened the night before and we soon find out that he’s been drugged, but that nothing has been stolen.
One thing that I didn't like so much is how slow the story progresses at first. For being only slightly over 100 pages, very few things happen in the first eighty. After that, things get interesting much faster, maybe even a little too fast. I think that the book could have been much better if it had been longer, because the slow part at the beginning is only slow compared to the size of the book, but would work very well as the first part of a longer novel. It helps to build up the mystery and the depth of the espionage plot, so it's not something that you could leave out or shorten without leaving such an important part of a spy story too rushed.
This is a story that has a non-professional character (meaning not a spy, police agent etc), Nick Thorneycroft, getting involved in espionage stuff. I found him to be a little strange sometimes though. When he learns that there’s a high possibility that he's been drugged, he never considers that he could be in danger until he realises that someone is watching him.
In general, a well-written political thriller with some surprising plot twists, but a bit too short and complex for the plot to be developed nicely. The ending is a bit of a cliff-hanger that works well as an open ending, but I'd love to read a sequel if there's ever one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Me intrigó el principio porque muy pronto queda claro que está pasando algo misterioso y probablemente peligroso. El personaje principal se despierta sin saber qué pasó la noche anterior y muy pronto descubrimos que ha sido drogado, pero que no le han robado nada.
Algo que no me gustó tanto es que la historia progresa algo lentamente al principio. Para tener sólo algo más de cien páginas, ocurren muy pocas cosas en las primeras ochenta. Después, las cosas se ponen más interesantes mucho más rápidamente, incluso puede que demasiado deprisa. Creo que el libro podría haber sido mucho mejor si hubiera sido más largo, porque la parte lenta del principio sólo es lenta comparada con el tamaño del libro, pero podría funcionar muy bien como la primera parte de una novela más larga. Ayuda a desarrollar el misterio y la profundidad del espionaje, así que no es algo que se pueda eliminar o reducir sin dejar una parte tan importante de una novela de espías demasiado acelerada.
En general es un buen thriller político con algún giro inesperado, pero un poco corta y compleja para que el argumento se pueda desarrollar bien. El final queda en suspense, pero funciona como final abierto, aunque me gustaría leer una secuela si alguna vez hay alguna.
November 25, 2013
After reading The Woman Who Stopped Traffic, also by Daniel Pembrey, I was pleased to see his Novella, The Candidate available for request on Net Galley. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nick Thorneycroft is surprised when he wakes up one morning in his Luxembourg apartment to find a woman's underwear in his room. He has no recollection of how the underwear got there, nor does he have any memory of sharing the night with a woman.
His attention is diverted to his job where he is a recruiter for the Russia and Eastern Europe section of his company. Nick finds candidates to fill open positions within the company. His former girlfriend, Claire, is the person responsible for getting Nick to accept this job as a head hunter. Before this, Nick was a temp recruiter and sports writer. The subject of his efforts currently is a woman named Yekaterina Novakovich. It's Nick's job to get Yekaterina to work for his company, but she also has another offer open with a competing company. Nick has to persuade her to work for his group and forget the other offer. There are rumors that a company called Xanant, owned by the Russian state, is trying to buy out Nick's company, but he is to proceed without taking into consideration how that rumor will affect his business should it turn out to be true.
The story goes on from here to take Nick deeper and deeper into events he doesn't understand. He can't seem to connect with Yekaterina to have her interview, the people he works with seem to be watching him and perhaps plotting against him, and Claire, his former girlfriend, shows up now and then confusing Nick further about what their relationship really is.
This is a Novella which by definition means it is a shorter version of a book. While the format does work for the telling of this story, I think it may have worked even better as a full length novel. There were details that could have been included to make the story a bit easier to follow; however, I have to say that by presenting it in this form, the ending packed more of a punch than it may have with more details. I think Pembrey chooses intricate subjects upon which he weaves his stories, and because of that, fleshing out a few more details within these subjects would be helpful to the reader. However, Pembrey certainly does know how to write an ending that is both satisfying and surprising. I will be watching for more of this talented writer in the future. In my opinion, Pembrey is a writer from whom we'll be seeing much more.
Nick Thorneycroft is surprised when he wakes up one morning in his Luxembourg apartment to find a woman's underwear in his room. He has no recollection of how the underwear got there, nor does he have any memory of sharing the night with a woman.
His attention is diverted to his job where he is a recruiter for the Russia and Eastern Europe section of his company. Nick finds candidates to fill open positions within the company. His former girlfriend, Claire, is the person responsible for getting Nick to accept this job as a head hunter. Before this, Nick was a temp recruiter and sports writer. The subject of his efforts currently is a woman named Yekaterina Novakovich. It's Nick's job to get Yekaterina to work for his company, but she also has another offer open with a competing company. Nick has to persuade her to work for his group and forget the other offer. There are rumors that a company called Xanant, owned by the Russian state, is trying to buy out Nick's company, but he is to proceed without taking into consideration how that rumor will affect his business should it turn out to be true.
The story goes on from here to take Nick deeper and deeper into events he doesn't understand. He can't seem to connect with Yekaterina to have her interview, the people he works with seem to be watching him and perhaps plotting against him, and Claire, his former girlfriend, shows up now and then confusing Nick further about what their relationship really is.
This is a Novella which by definition means it is a shorter version of a book. While the format does work for the telling of this story, I think it may have worked even better as a full length novel. There were details that could have been included to make the story a bit easier to follow; however, I have to say that by presenting it in this form, the ending packed more of a punch than it may have with more details. I think Pembrey chooses intricate subjects upon which he weaves his stories, and because of that, fleshing out a few more details within these subjects would be helpful to the reader. However, Pembrey certainly does know how to write an ending that is both satisfying and surprising. I will be watching for more of this talented writer in the future. In my opinion, Pembrey is a writer from whom we'll be seeing much more.
September 10, 2016
This novella, The Candidate, begins with a tension-building trauma for the protagonist, who wakes up in his own bed with no memory of the night before, but the unsettling sight of women's underwear on the floor of his room. When his landlord, a retired pharmacist sees him, he mentions having seen Nick and his companion going up the stairs the previous night.The landlord remarks that the mark on Nick's neck looks like the effect of a drug that can be rubbed into the skin. Nick had thought it might be evidence of a love bite, but begins to think his lack of memory might be drug-induced and that his mysterious companion may have been searching for something in his room.
Nick Thorneycroft is a headhunter for a firm in Luxembourg. Security is tight in the company because they deal with the financial secrets of many high powered clients. There is tension at the work place as well because there is a larger firm seeking to acquire them. Those employees who have been there awhile and own company stock stand to gain substantial money if the company is bought out. At the same time they can make the company look even more attractive to a buyer if they can acquire the right candidate to handle their Russian and Eastern European clients.
The pressure is on Nick to land the right candidate, but he begins to suspect that the candidate who responds so quickly to his online inquiries just might have been his mysterious companion of the previous night. She is beautiful, she is Russian, and seems to have an exceptionally strong resume. She apparently has strong interviews with the two supervising employees that must decide on the potential hire, but before Nick can visit with her again, she has disappeared, and the Russia Mafia seems to be very interested in Nick...but why?
Lots of mysterious clues, surprising twists and turns, and too soon the book is ending with a surprise I did not see coming. The story is told from Nick's perspective. Luxembourg itself becomes an interesting part of the story. Author Daniel Pembrey describes the old buildings, the architecture of the new and the old, even the snow and the old bridges and roads become an integral part of the setting as seen through the eyes of ex-pat Nick. He is familiar with the city, but not like a native born citizen would be. An interesting and likable protagonist, a mystery with a definite element of danger and the sense that time is running out makes this book worth taking the time to read.
I got the opportunity to read this courtesy of the folks at NetGalley...and I am pleased to recommend it.
Nick Thorneycroft is a headhunter for a firm in Luxembourg. Security is tight in the company because they deal with the financial secrets of many high powered clients. There is tension at the work place as well because there is a larger firm seeking to acquire them. Those employees who have been there awhile and own company stock stand to gain substantial money if the company is bought out. At the same time they can make the company look even more attractive to a buyer if they can acquire the right candidate to handle their Russian and Eastern European clients.
The pressure is on Nick to land the right candidate, but he begins to suspect that the candidate who responds so quickly to his online inquiries just might have been his mysterious companion of the previous night. She is beautiful, she is Russian, and seems to have an exceptionally strong resume. She apparently has strong interviews with the two supervising employees that must decide on the potential hire, but before Nick can visit with her again, she has disappeared, and the Russia Mafia seems to be very interested in Nick...but why?
Lots of mysterious clues, surprising twists and turns, and too soon the book is ending with a surprise I did not see coming. The story is told from Nick's perspective. Luxembourg itself becomes an interesting part of the story. Author Daniel Pembrey describes the old buildings, the architecture of the new and the old, even the snow and the old bridges and roads become an integral part of the setting as seen through the eyes of ex-pat Nick. He is familiar with the city, but not like a native born citizen would be. An interesting and likable protagonist, a mystery with a definite element of danger and the sense that time is running out makes this book worth taking the time to read.
I got the opportunity to read this courtesy of the folks at NetGalley...and I am pleased to recommend it.
September 11, 2016
Based on the opening chapter, The Candidate seemed like it was going to be an intriguing, suspenseful and fast-paced thriller. I liked the "novella" format-the book can be read in just a few hours-but its short length actually works against it in the end. The plot begins interestingly enough-British ex-pat Nicky Thorneycroft wakes up in his Luxembourg apartment with a huge hangover, a pair of women's underwear on his bedroom floor, receipts in his pants pockets for champagne and sandwiches from a local casino, a suspicious mark on his neck, and no recollection of anything that happened the night before, or who the panties belong to. Nick came to Luxembourg just a few months before at the urging of his girlfriend Claire, to take a head hunting position with a company that provides payment processing services for banks and other large organizations. Nick's current assignment is recruiting candidates for a VP position with the Russian and Eastern European branch of his company. This leads him to Yekaterina Novakovich, the Russian born, Harvard educated beauty with the perfect credentials for the job. Nick's boss Charlotte and other members of the company put pressure on him to hire "Kate" immediately, as she is also being courted by their largest competitor. When Nick notices an unexplainable gap in Kate's work history, he worries that she is hiding something, but Charlotte tells Nick they will lose Kate to the competition if they have to wait for him to complete a background check before offering Kate the job. From here the story goes off in several directions-the Russian Presidential elections are taking place, and the president's challenger accuses him of financial misdeeds involving offshore bank accounts. Nick begins to suspect Kate is working for the Opposition candidate and is using him to further their cause, starting with the night she drugged him and left her panties in his apartment. Nick's on-again, off-again girlfriend Claire also figures into the action, as does Nick's landlord and a prominent Luxembourg real estate developer. Too much happens in too few pages, and much of it is hurried and disjointed. The story comes to an abrupt that leaves a feeling of incompleteness, but does set up the possibility of a sequel. I think The Candidate would have worked better as a full length novel, where characters and their motivations could have been explained more fully.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews